The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for supporting and insulating an electric storage battery in an electric vehicle.
A rechargeable electric storage battery is mounted on a tray and located at the underside of a vehicle with its lower surface exposed to the road. It has been conventional practice to form such battery trays in multiple pieces of high strength material, with such multiple stampings welded together. The lower surface of the tray is covered with a panel. Such battery tray panels, however, have a large number of indentations and holes for fasteners, which increase aerodynamic drag on the vehicle.
A battery tray casting in one-piece would reduce overall complexity of a battery tray formed of multiple welded stampings. Preferably the lower surface of a one-piece tray would reduce aerodynamic drag and avoid the need for a panel covering bolted to the bottom of the battery tray.